New technologies in atrial fibrillation ablation.

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a major public health issue worldwide, the incidence of which is likely to continue to rise. With the birth of pulmonary vein isolation(PVI), cardiac ablation has emerged as key strategy for the treatment of AF. PVI using traditional point by point radiofrequency ablation is time consuming and technically challenging. Refining patient selection for PVI also remains an important goal. New ablative strategies using catheter-based balloon technologies, such as cryothermy and laser-based systems, may simplify PVI. In addition, new MRI-based techniques offer the hope of refining patient selection prior to ablation. Lastly, FIRM mapping represents an entirely new approach to AF ablation via the targeting of mechanisms that perpetuate AF rather than simply targeting triggers alone.